Gunsmithing Shotguns by Patrick Sweeney, 328 Pages, Softcover, 750 b&w photos, 8-1/2 x 11, Price: $24.95 plus $3.25 P&H from Krause Publications, Dept. BNP, P.O. Box 5009, Iola, WI 54945-5009. (800) 258-0929 ISBN 0-87341-920-0
Gunsmithing Shotguns is the latest in a series of how-to gunsmithing books authored by Patrick Sweeney. This is an excellent book that is written in a language that just about anyone will be able to understand. At the beginning the author takes you through a short history of the shotgun and of how and why it evolved into our modern scattergun, then into the gunsmith shop where he explains what tools will be required and how to use them. General repairs and maintenance are explained along with some very sound background instruction covering the gunstock, chokes, chambers, sights and trigger work.
Specific repairs on many of the popular shotguns of all types are discussed within the "meat" of the book with concise, accurate, easy-to-follow directions, and these repair operations are nicely illustrated with B/W photography. What the general reader will want to know is that these are directions which most amateur gunsmiths will have no trouble following. One thing the author has done in this book which makes so much sense is to draw a dividing line where he felt it was required that clearly points out where a certain area of repair would be best taken to a professional gunsmith.
The bottom line. In my opinion Patrick Sweeney's Gunsmithing: Shotguns is a very useful new title, it is well written and presented, it is full of valuable information that will be of use to anyone with an interest in shotguns. I think this book will quickly find its way onto professional and amateur's work benches everywhere.
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